Published 4:16 pm, Thursday, May 12, 2016

Photo: Michael Minasi

Image 1of/1

Caption

Close

Image 1 of 1

Swimmers make their way down The Woodlands Waterway during the Memorial Hermann Ironman North American Championship May 16, 2015, in The Woodlands. Ironman officials informed participants Thursday morning that the Waterway was removed from the swim route due to concerns about water quality in the canal. Swimmers now will make a 2.4-mile loop in Lake Woodlands, starting and finishing at Northshore Park, instead of completing the swim portion at Town Green Park. less

Swimmers make their way down The Woodlands Waterway during the Memorial Hermann Ironman North American Championship May 16, 2015, in The Woodlands. Ironman officials informed participants Thursday morning that ... more

THE WOODLANDS — Ironman officials made a last-minute change in the swim portion of Saturday’s race due to concerns about water quality in the canal along The Woodlands Waterway.

Participating triathletes received notice Thursday morning that the swim course of the Memorial Hermann Ironman now would be a single 2.4-mile loop around Lake Woodlands instead of going into the canal and finishing by Town Green Park. The swim portion now will start and finish at Northshore Park.

“It has been determined that the canal portion of The Woodlands Waterway near the planned swim finish … is not currently suitable for swimming,” race officials stated in an email sent to athletes. “However, the Lake Woodlands water quality remains safe and well within Texas state standards for swimming.”

However, officials with the San Jacinto River Authority released a statement saying they had not been contacted by Ironman officials regarding the water quality or the need to re-route the swim portion of the race.

“We have not been contacted by Ironman therefore we cannot comment of their decision,” the SJRA stated. It also states that while SJRA must perform testing on water that leaves its plants, it is not required to test streams and lakes into which water is discharged.

According to Race Director Scott Langen, Ironman Texas relies on The Woodlands Township for water testing and assessment and the results are evaluated according to the Texas Surface Water Quality Standards for Primary Contact Recreation.

With the amended course, the transition point from swim to bike now will switch from Town Green Park to Northshore Park.

That means a slight alteration to the beginning of the bike course, reportedly adding a mile. The bike course already was pared down from 112 miles to 94 miles because of safety concerns due to roadwork and recent flooding.

Precinct 2 Commissioner Charlie Riley, citing ongoing construction, would not allow the bike route to go through his area and up to Lake Conroe, as it previously did.

The bike route, which before the swim route change was to begin on Lake Robbins Drive near Market Street and Town Green Park, takes participants south through The Woodlands before looping through Spring, then continues west along Spring Stuebner Road before winding through communities in the southern and western parts of The Woodlands and outlying areas. The final leg takes Woodlands Parkway all the way back to the original starting point.

The run portion of the race will take place entirely in The Woodlands and will finish on Waterway Avenue.

The downsized bike portion upset some participants who now won’t complete the Ironman requisite 140.6 miles (2.4-mile swim, 112-mile bike and 26.2-mile run).

However, some athletes praised race officials on Facebook Thursday afternoon for making the swim change and looking out for their safety.